This invention is directed to a device for watering plants and, in particular, to an elongated member adapted to be installed within the soil and extending from above the soil down toward the plant roots for delivering nutrients thereto, and including improvements to prevent its becoming plugged by soil as it is being installed and by soil and roots while it rests in its installed position.
Plants are normally watered in flower boxes, flower pots and the like by the simple process of pouring water directly onto the top of the soil. This water than supposedly seeps down toward the root system of the plant in order to provide the needed nourishment. In practice, however, the repeated watering in this manner produces a caked upper surface of the soil. The crust which forms there interferes with normal seepage of the water downward so that at the very least, an unequal distribution of water within the pot occurs. Also, the crust thus formed at the surface causes a blockage which prevents air from reaching the plant roots. The consequent improper drainage and aeration of the root system within the container can cause a decay of the root system and the inevitable deterioration of the plant.
It is known to provide a device for watering the root system by inserting a perforated, tubular member into the subsoil. Water poured into the top flows down this member directly towards the root system rather than collecting at the caked upper surface of the soil. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,952,597, 1,383,,368, and 4,361,983. However, the latter two approaches are vulnerable to becoming plugged during use by soil which works itself into the holes of the device as well as by roots which will inevitably grow through the holes in search of moisture. The first above-mentioned patent provides a means for periodically cleaning the interior periphery of the device to clean it of dirt, and possibly to even snip off tender roots which may protrude thereinto. However, none of these examples of the prior art discloses a technique for facilitating insertion of such an elongated device of this sort into soil, nor a means for preventing the intrusion of soil into the device while it is being inserted into the soil. It can readily be seen that if a perforated deviced is forcibly pressed into the soil, the soil will tend to, in the process, work its way into the openings, and plugging will result. Furthermore, none of these references shows a technique for cleaning dirt and removing ingrown roots in an insertable device of the type described just above.
Since plants must be regularly provided with their needed amount of nutrients, they may sometimes experience damage when such nourishment cannot be provided by their owner who may be away for a time, for example. Consequently, a need exists for enabling the automatic supply of nourishment despite the absence of someone to provide it in person. Some container combined with a timer mechanism is required. However, the prior art has not provided such a means which can readily be combined with an insertable plant watering device of the type described just above.